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Slow-worm Translocation. Comments?: |
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calumma Senior Member Joined: 27 Jun 2003 No. of posts: 351  View other posts by calumma |
Posted: 29 Feb 2004 Did anybody see this news article that was reposted (without comment) in the most recent BHS Natterjack? I would be interested to learn about people's views regarding this type of exercise... 
Lee Lee Brady Kent Herpetofauna Recorder | Independent Ecological Consultant |
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David Bird Forum Specialist Joined: 17 Feb 2003 No. of posts: 515 View other posts by David Bird |
Posted: 01 Mar 2004 I saw this article and was not happy about it but thought it was typical newspaper rubbish that was probably wrong anyway. What are the two types of slow worm male or female, live or dead. There was no mention of surveying the release site for Slow worm or its suitability for the species. It seems that the developers did not have to pay for any mitigation areas and got away with it very easily. I am afraid I do get fed up with newspaper articles in the Natterjack but understand that the Editor can only print the articles he is sent but would like to see more useful articles or links. I may write a reply for the next issue as I can never make out if the publishing of an article means the editor thinks a good deed has been done or has put it in for some sort of discussion. I may put this onto the BHS group to try to see what members think. David Bird British Herpetological Society Librarian and member of B.H.S Conservation Committee. Self employed Herpetological Consultant and Field Worker. |
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calumma Senior Member Joined: 27 Jun 2003 No. of posts: 351 View other posts by calumma |
Posted: 01 Mar 2004 David, yes there are two ways to interpret my post! I was actually looking for opinions on the so-called mitigation. However, on reflection I think discussion of how newspaper cuttings should be dealt with in general is also a worthy topic for discussion. I too get fed up with this type of article, particularly when they are published without any editorial comment. A dead tree newsletter like The Natterjack is a bad medium for discussing such issues. Forums such as this are much better. Lee Lee Brady Kent Herpetofauna Recorder | Independent Ecological Consultant |
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Tony Phelps Forum Specialist Joined: 09 Mar 2003 No. of posts: 575 View other posts by Tony Phelps |
Posted: 06 Mar 2004 Translocations seem to be an accepted tool of mitigation and conservation in general. Release sites are always properly surveyed for an appropriate amount of time and at right time of year aren't they? What is usually lacking is probably the most important aspect, and that is monitoring the release sites afterwards, there is never any money in the budget for that so the work in my mind is very much incomplete., so developers are getting away with it, tell that to the papers, thats if journalists ever get around to talking to the right people. I have found myself in the position that on a number of sites I am monitoring off my own back at my expense, otherwise whats the point! We should now think very carefully about translocations in general especially long distance projects, we need to presever some sort of genetic integrity. Tony Phelps |
- Slow-worm Translocation. Comments? |